Caption: Dame Meg Taylor.
The European Union Ambassador for the Pacific, His Excellency Andrew Jacobs, has congratulated Dame Meg Taylor on being selected as the next Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.
The European Union attaches great importance to its partnership with Pacific countries and the region as a whole, and the presence of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, at the Pacific Islands Leaders meeting in Palau last week bears witness to this. The EU’s close relationship with the Pacific Islands Forum is an essential part of this partnership. The Forum Secretariat co-ordinates the new 2014-2020 financial cycle of the EU’s regional assistance programme, worth €166 million.
“The European Union congratulates Dame Meg Taylor on being selected as the next Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. The European Union has a long-standing relationship with the Pacific, both as a provider of development co-operation and, increasingly, as a strategic partner in global forums on a range of issues such as climate change. Catherine Ashton agreed with Pacific Island Forum Leaders in Palau that we would work towards an EU-Pacific summit, and I look forward to preparing for this with Dame Meg. The organisation of such a summit will reflect the importance of EU-Pacific relations, in which the Forum Secretariat will continue to play a key role”, Ambassador Jacobs said.
“We wish Dame Meg the very best in her future appointment and we look forward to our continued partnership and co-operation with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.”
PRESS RELEASE